One aim when realizing semiconductor components, in particular when realizing so-called power semiconductor components, is to achieve a lowest possible on resistance for a given dielectric strength of the component. In the case of compensation components, this is achieved by arranging compensation zones in a doped drift zone of the component, the compensation zones being doped complementarily to the drift zone. When the component is driven in the off state, that is to say when a space charge zone propagates in the drift zone, part of the dopant charge present in the drift zone is compensated for by the dopant charge present in the compensation zones, that is to say that dopant atoms in the drift zone which are ionized when the component is in the off state find a corresponding countercharge in the compensation zones. For the same dielectric strength as in the case of a component without compensation zones, in the case of a compensation component it is possible to provide a higher doping of the drift zone, which results in a lower on resistance in comparison with a non-compensation component.
When the component is driven in the off state, the compensation zones of a compensation component are charged. If an n-conducting component is considered, for example, wherein the drift zone is n-doped and wherein the compensation zone is p-doped, then holes flow away from the compensation zones when the component is driven in the off state. If the component is driven in the on state again at a later point in time, then the holes have to be fed to the compensation zones again, that is to say that the compensation zones have to be discharged, in order to achieve the desired low on resistance.
In order to reliably ensure such a discharge, the compensation zones can be connected to a further component zone, in the case of a MOSFET for example to the source zone thereof. However, such fixed connection of the compensation zones to one of the further component zones restricts freedom in the design of the component.
Furthermore, the dimensions of the doped compensation zones cannot be shrunk arbitrarily, which is at odds with a shrink of the component dimensions that is striven for.